Insufferable
by Invisionary
Summary: Takes place between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. HanLeia.


Title: Insufferable  
Warnings: There is some violence, but nothing worse than what's in the movies.  
Feedback: I crave external validation  
Setting: Takes place between "A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back."  
Summary: Han/Leia gunplay, snark, and UST, which is how I like them best.  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, George Lucas does.

"Stop right there, Solo. Hands up, turn around slowly."

Han let the handful of credits he'd been counting out fall onto the bar, where the bartender quickly snatched them up before hurrying out the back. As he raised his hands, Han saw the rest of the bar's patrons scurrying for the doors. Obviously they didn't want to get caught in what was about to go down.

He didn't see Leia, though - there was no sign of her. _At least you picked a good time to go powder your nose, Princess..._

He turned around slowly and came face-to-face with three nasty-looking Rodians - bounty hunters, by the look of 'em - with blasters aimed at him. The one in the middle nodded approvingly on seeing his face. "See?" he said to his friends. "I told you. Han Solo. He fetch us big price from Jabba."

Han sized them up, trying to judge whether or not he could beat the drop. Against three, he didn't like his chances. But maybe he could put them off balance...

"You know, I killed the last man who tried to collect that price," he said conversationally. "Bounty hunter named Greedo. Maybe you heard about that?"

The one on the left snorted - or at least, it sounded like a snort. "We not impressed. We hear lots of different stories about that."

"Look, guys, lots of people have tried to collect this bounty. Nobody's managed it yet. Do you really think you three are any different?" Han leaned forward slightly, trying his best to look intimidating. "So how about you just turn around and walk out of here, and we can forget this ever happened?"

The one in the middle looked a little nervous. Or maybe that was just a facial tic. It was hard to tell with Rodians. He started to say something, but the one on the right, the meanest-looking of the three, silenced him.

"You know, Solo, you are right. I can see you are a dangerous man."

Han smiled slightly. Now all he had to do was...

"So I think we just blast you and take your corpse to Jabba," the Rodian continued. "Much safer that way."

_Oh crap._ Obviously he'd been a little _too_ intimidating.

"Drop your weapons!" A clear, commanding (and familiar) voice rang out through the bar. Han looked up to see Leia standing in the doorway to the bar, blaster in hand, coolly surveying the scene in front of her.

The Rodians turned toward her, and Han seized the opportunity their distraction provided. He quickly drew his blaster and shot the one in front of him. Seeing that the mean-looking one was reacting quicker than the other, Han kicked out at him, knocking him off-balance and causing his shot to go wide. It impacted on the door frame just inches from Leia's head.

Han threw himself to the side, blasting the bounty hunter even as he was falling down. He rolled to his feet quickly and spun around...

...and found himself face-to-face with the last Rodian, the alien's weapon leveled at his chest...

...which then clattered to the floor, falling from nerveless fingers as a blaster bolt took him in the side of the head. Han looked up at the doorway to see Leia slowly holstering her weapon, an unreadable expression on her face. Without a word, she turned and hurried out onto the street.

Han stood up and quickly followed her. The settlement they were in was a tiny backwater with no Imperial presence, but they did have a sheriff, and he undoubtedly wouldn't take kindly to shootouts in the middle of town.

_Just once I'd like to be able to walk out of a bar without having to shoot someone first,_ Han thought as he hurried back to the Falcon.

* * *

"Chewie, start up the engines, we're taking off!" Han shouted as he and Leia ran up the Falcon's entry ramp. At the Wookie's answering roar, he hit the switch to raise the ramp and made his way to the cockpit. He hadn't seen anyone following them, but better to get out of here quickly anyway.

He sat down and began checking things over while the engines warmed up. After a moment, Leia stepped into the cockpit, taking a seat next to him.

Han turned to face her. "Are you okay?" he asked. That shot had been awfully close...

"I'm fine," she replied curtly. "What happened back there?"

Great. She was in a mood. "Bounty hunters," he replied.

Leia gave an exasperated sigh. "I never should have brought you on this mission," she muttered, turning to stare out the cockpit windows.

_What?_ "_You_ shouldn't have brought _me_ on this mission?" Han said incredulously. "Who was it who flew us all the way here, dodging three Imperial patrol ships on the way? If anything, _you're_ the one who should have stayed behind."

"Oh really?" she retorted. "If I had stayed behind, who would have rescued you from those bounty hunters?"

"I had the situation under control," Han said levelly.

Leia stared at him incredulously for a moment before turning away abruptly and mumbling something under her breath.

"What? I didn't quite catch that," said Han. He was asking for trouble, he knew, but...

Leia turned back to him, meeting his gaze angrily. "I said you're an insufferable rogue!" she exploded. "Trouble follows wherever you go, and when someone helps you out of it, you can't even bring yourself to thank them!"

"Rogue?" Han was more amused than offended. "In case you've forgotten, _Princess_, you're talking to a genuine hero of the Rebellion. And anyway," he leaned in toward Leia, his face scant inches from hers, "you seem to be 'suffering' me just fine," he finished, his voice low.

A long moment passed between them, neither of them moving or saying anything. They simply stared at each other, Han trying to read what he was seeing on Leia's face. Her eyes were a sea of conflicted emotions. Was she...?

A loud beeping suddenly sounded from Han's console, startling them both. He turned and looked at his readout - the engines were almost ready, and they could take off in sixty seconds. When he turned back to Leia, she had settled back in her seat and was regarding him somewhat coolly.

Han recovered quickly. "Besides," he continued calmly, as if nothing had happened, "we got what we came for, didn't we? We have the holocron, we know the route the next Imperial supply convoy is taking, and once we get back there'll be plenty of time for everyone to set up an ambush." He leaned back and spread his hands in front of him easily. "I really don't see what there is to be upset about."

"No, of course you don't," Leia sighed. She turned away again, staring ahead out the window. "I don't wish to discuss it any further. Just... take us home. Please."

Han looked at her briefly before shaking his head. Fine. If that was how she wanted it... "Whatever you say, Your Highness."

As he took the controls and piloted the Falcon into the air, Han Solo gave the woman sitting next to him one last glance.

Maybe someday...

END


End file.
